Making a "Survival Kit"

[willbgood]

Y'all have pretty much hit everything I have but I'll throw in my $.02. As far as a medical kit goes, anything is better than nothing. But that said, I encourage people to go to the free clinics and get a relationship with the staff there. Tell them what you're doing etc..they will donate do you sooner or later. The group I just left working for, donated all items that had a expiration date within 2 months went to a free clinic or was donated to a organization. Don't mess with the VA we never throw anything away or donate anything substantial. Prepare your bag like you're going to be fubar'd. I have personally used my medic bag twice this year on the trail, once for a roll over an the 2nd for a drunk dumbass who fell spotting needing a splint for a tib-fib fx.

I also carry:
Tiki torch fluid
B.lighter
Steel wool and 9 v
Burn cream, sunscreen, sunglasses
Wool sock, etc clothes
Duct tape fixes everything
Dried food x2 weeks
Iodine tabs, filter straw
P.cord, Spool of wire and fishing line with flys
Compass
US map book
Slim 6in camping cook pan
Recovery gear
Plus small bs like random size nuts and bolts.
marine blow horn

All in all my favorite is the heating pad I keep in there, nothing like laying down and giving the old back muscles a relax after a long day on the trails an hiking around.

Great post. FYI, Drug Expiration Dates - Are Expired Drugs Still Safe to Take? All Drugs are listed on the FDA shelf life extension program website. You used to be able to access this site, but now you have to a .gov or .mil address. This is a fairly recent change. and I am sure it has to do with 9/11.

I used to have a list publish by doctors without borders, but I can not find it.

I did find this while searching for a current list, I found this. https://www.shelflife.hq.dla.mil/ One thing that bothers me about this article is not foot notes, as well as the fact that I no there are several meds that become toxic, such as Tetracycline.

What's really strange about this program, is my list predates this program. So I do not understand the restrictions, or the fact that it is being propose as new. The old civil defense program and then OES actually had this information on file pre 9/11. Here is a power point on the program:http://www.dsls.usra.edu/education/grandrounds/archive/2009/20091027/khan.pdf

I guess you can have mundanes accessing critical health information. Especially if it would lead to them not tossing expired meds and buying new ones.

If some one has more info with specifics, I would love to see it.

This link has information list in the second link on Chemical, Biological Nuclear, and radiological meds. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelf_Life_Extension_Program

Of course is does not List Potassium Iodine, the most important me for radiation exposure and one that every one should have handy. It has an indeterminate lifespan...get some.

While I am at it on this topic, get and read a copy of Nuclear War Survival Skills or read it here: http://www.oism.org/nwss/

 

[Brique]

Due to the excessive amount of Win in this thread, I have subscribed.

 

[NewguyNY]

Good stuff in here guys. Subd. I'll add my stuff when I get a chance.

 

[CrazyNorwegian]

For water, in addition to purification tablets, I carry a life straw. It can filter enough water for 1 person to survive for 1 year. For only $20 it's well worth it.

 

[mckensel]

Instead of a football try a banana bag, straight saline won't due much in a dehydration situation other than bloat you up. Unless you're using it for severe blood loss which will help keep BP up for a little if bleeding is stopped. A banana bag is essentially the hangover cure from God and helps the body rehydrate more efficiently. Just have to have the stones to self insert a cath.

 

[Doc2012]

Instead of a football try a banana bag, straight saline won't due much in a dehydration situation other than bloat you up. Unless you're using it for severe blood loss which will help keep BP up for a little if bleeding is stopped. A banana bag is essentially the hangover cure from God and helps the body rehydrate more efficiently. Just have to have the stones to self insert a cath.

I've got LR and NS.
Just call them both footballs.

 

[LandCruiser]

Instead of a football try a banana bag, straight saline won't due much in a dehydration situation other than bloat you up. Unless you're using it for severe blood loss which will help keep BP up for a little if bleeding is stopped. A banana bag is essentially the hangover cure from God and helps the body rehydrate more efficiently. Just have to have the stones to self insert a cath.

Banana bags are awesome for hangovers.

They should sell them over the counter.

 

[willbgood]

For water, in addition to purification tablets, I carry a life straw. It can filter enough water for 1 person to survive for 1 year. For only $20 it's well worth it.

I would not trust my life to one, read about them, they are not good enough, go with an MSR.

I know their claims, but having sold and designed water filter systems, my opinion is that the life straws makes some wild claims. As well, the pictures of folks laying down and drinking from severely contaminated water sources makes me want to cry, or laugh, I am never sure. Consider a plash of water in the eyes or nose, will kill you just as quick as drinking it.

 

[CrazyNorwegian]

I would not trust my life to one, read about them, they are not good enough, go with an MSR.

I know their claims, but having sold and designed water filter systems, my opinion is that the life straws makes some wild claims. As well, the pictures of folks laying down and drinking from severely contaminated water sources makes me want to cry, or laugh, I am never sure. Consider a plash of water in the eyes or nose, will kill you just as quick as drinking it.

Yeah I don't think I would ever try it on knowingly contaminated water. I also don't think I'll ever be stranded in Africa or South America where the water can be really bad. But I would use it in a situation where the probability of the water being safe is high, and use it as extra insurance. You can also boil the water and drink it though the life straw to remove dirt or unpleasant tastes.

 

[willbgood]

Yeah I don't think I would ever try it on knowingly contaminated water. I also don't think I'll ever be stranded in Africa or South America where the water can be really bad. But I would use it in a situation where the probability of the water being safe is high, and use it as extra insurance. You can also boil the water and drink it though the life straw to remove dirt or unpleasant tastes.

Did you read my post on beaver fever...I almost died here in conus from it and the water looked absolutely clean...a life straw would be better than nothing, but the MSR is better and almost the same and size.

 

[NewguyNY]

Making a "Survival Kit"

I have a couple bags that I take with me depending on where I'm going.
Always in my truck are as follows:
Knife
Compass
Recovery gear
Work gloves
500' or so Paracord
Maglight (with batteries removed and stored separately)
Simple first aid kit with 4x4s, gloves, tape and tegaderms
Lido jelly
Neosporin
Space blanket
Steel wool and 9v battery
Beef jerky
Granola
H2O

In my extended travel bag I have more extensive stuff:
Headlight
Iodine pills
Water purification pump
More space blankets
More Paracord
Fishing hooks and line
More steel wool and battery
Socks
2 MREs
H2O
Shovel
Mirror

MEDBAG:
Sterile gloves
Needle drivers
Toothed and smooth forceps
2.0 and 4.0 silk
Dermabond
Steri Strips
Cautery device
Gauze
Tegaderms
Tape
18g Angiocaths
2l LR and D5
IV tubing
Surgery kit
Lido with Epi
Betadine
Pressure dressing
Ace bandages
Assorted syringes and needles
Enema kit
Nitro pills
Aspirin
Tylenol
Ibuprofen
Zofran
Amodium
Benadryl
Epi

I obviously pack more gear depending on where I'm going, but with the above extended travel bag survival is much simpler of a matter.

 

[Ron4RNevada]

Funny how people in highly populated areas back east carry the most survival stuff.....

On the UK websites everybody carries 40 liters of spare gasoline even though they cannot get more than 5 miles from a gas station.......

Just sayin........:nicethread:

 

[NewguyNY]

Making a "Survival Kit"

^ I do live here now, but I grew up in the middle of nowhere in Alaska. Combat search and rescue operator in the Air Force. Would be pretty dumb of me now not to be squared away all the time.

 

[willbgood]

Funny how people in highly populated areas back east carry the most survival stuff.....

On the UK websites everybody carries 40 liters of spare gasoline even though they cannot get more than 5 miles from a gas station.......

Just sayin........:nicethread:

If you lived through a blizzard, hurricane, blackout, or 9/11 in New York, it would make more sense to you...You either become indifferent, prepared to exit, or move west.